Your mailbox seems like it is flooded with letters from the workers’ compensation insurance company after your workplace injury. Keep in mind that many of these letters are very important for establishing your claim to benefits for your injury.
Why Is the Insurance Company Sending You Letters?
The workers’ compensation insurance company has to notify you of certain events while your claim for benefits is pending. For example, it must notify you if your claim has been approved or denied and give you the reasons why it was denied. You may receive letters from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry too. The insurer also needs to notify you of other events, such as:
- Your benefits are ending
- The amount of your benefits is changing
- Your benefits are being reinstated after a dispute is resolved
- The insurer will not pay for a medical procedure recommended by your treating doctor
- The insurer is requiring you to attend an Independent Medical Examination
- The insurer is closing your claim file because of a settlement
The letters you receive in the mail tell you important information about what is happening in your case. The language used in the letters is very specific to workers’ compensation, so they may be hard to understand without more background. You can locate information about workers’ compensation on the Department of Labor and Industry website or by talking to a lawyer.
Do You Have to Take Any Action When You Receive Letters?
Whether you need to take any action depends on which kind of letter you receive. If the letter tells you that you need to attend an Independent Medical Examination (IME), then you need to show up to the address given on the date and time listed on the notice. If the letter tells you that your claim for benefits has been denied, then you need to file a claim petition to contest the denial.
If you receive a letter and you do not know what to do about it, seek out a workers’ compensation lawyer. A lawyer can review the paperwork in your case and advise you about your next steps. Signing up with a lawyer takes the burden off your back of figuring out what to do each time you get a letter in the mail.
Need help getting workers’ compensation for your injury? Joe Osterbauer, Esq. and the Osterbauer Law Firm stand up for injured Minnesota workers’ rights. Joe’s 27 years of workers’ compensation experience and his team’s speedy service combine to get clients the results they need. To schedule a free consultation, visit Osterbauer Law Firm online or call Joe’s office at (612) 334-3434.
